Continuing the previous Jakarta Chapter…

I had to look at the photos I took in Jakarta to jog my foggy memory. Here's a brief of the rest of the journey:

Day 2 (25th January 2009) - Leaving the Newly Weds

After the solemnization, Kakak and KH went in to change clothes. They then sat at the “pelamin”. I soon learned that the newly weds and their parents are expected to sit there to meet everyone that came. Visitors shook hands and congratulate the newly weds and their parents.

I can’t seem to remember what was served at the wedding. And I didn’t remember to take photos of the food served. So I have no clue to help with my memory. I do, however, remember that I couldn’t really eat the food because they were spicy – including the ‘somay’ (something like fishball served with spicy peanut sauce).

Since I was part of the ‘bride entourage’, I had to stay on until the day ended. We packed our things and were ready to call for a cab home (home in this case is Cibinong). The groom’s family asked us to wait. They wanted to drive us home.

And so we waited, and waited. By the time everyone was ready, we cramped into the awaiting Toyota Unser (or known as Kijang in Indonesia). Some how we managed to fit 10 people (Mutiara and her 7 family members, me, the driver and his co-pilot) into the car.

We arrived Cibinong around 10 p.m. Mutiara’s family invited the driver, and the co-pilot in for a drink. Bejo, the name they called the co-pilot, and Adhit, the driver stayed for awhile and chatted. I soon found out the Bejo is KH’s younger brother. I also found out that most of the groom’s family (including Adhit and Bejo) didn’t realize that I wasn’t exactly a family. They just thought I have a weird Indonesian accent.

Day 3 (Monday 26th January 2009) – Plans Shelved

We had wanted to spend the day out. The plans included a lunch at a restaurant. We were about to leave the house when Kakak called informing that they were coming over. And so we changed our plans. We rushed to the super market. What fascinated me was that there was a section of the supermarket selling live fish. The fish was caught, smoked and packed. We did a last minute shopping and return home.

By the time we reached home, Kakak, KH, his mother, Bejo and Adhit was already there. They were picking fruits from the trees around the house. While they were busy picking fruits, I helped Mutiara to prepare the food – smoked fish, roasted chicken, salad and rice. The simple food was delicious. We chatted. Before we knew it, it was already dark. It was time for KH’s mother, Bejo and Adhit to leave. Kakak and KH would spend the night in Cibinong.

Day 4 (Tuesday 27th January 2009) – Happy birthday and Farewell

It was Mutiara’s mom’s birthday. It was also my last day in Jakarta. Early that morning, Mutiara called her mom’s office informing that her mom won’t be going to work. Since my flight was late that evening, we planned to go for a lunch outside and go for some last minute shopping. So I packed my bags, and we all headed out to wait for the Angkut.

After hopping on and off some Angkut, we finally reached Bogor. We headed to Pizza Hut to celebrate Tante’s birthday. Mutiara then took me to a shop selling traditional Indonesian ‘junk food’. I bought plenty of it for people back home. We met the rest the family at the mall next to the shop. We found a digital photo shop. We decided to have some photos from my camera printed. The photo was ready just in time before I had to leave.

The whole family walked me to the bus station. I could sense tears welling up Mutiara’s eyes. After a hugs and quick goodbyes, I hopped on the bus. Not long after that, the bus made its way to the airport.

Not sure where to get down, I asked the bus conductor to help. I told the him that I wanted to get down at international terminal for Air Asia. The bus driver nodded. About an hour or so later, as the bus neared a building, I recognized a sculpture. I think it was the same sculpture I saw when I first arrived. I was about to go down when the bus conductor stopped me. We had a little argument. He told me to get down at the next terminal. If the driver didn’t interfere, the conductor might not have let me alighted the bus.

Later, after I’ve checked in and was waiting to board the fight, I realized that the bus conductor must have mistaken me as a fellow Indonesian trying to catch domestic flight out of Jakarta.

(p.s. By the time of this entry, Kakak is already a few months pregnant.)